Southern Style Shrimp and Grits

This iconic Southern dish was historically served as a morning meal. We adore it a lot, we’d have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. These heat, creamy grits are loaded with butter and cheddar cheese, topped with sautéed shrimp and crispy bacon. Add a touch (or extra) of sizzling sauce and a squeeze of recent lemon and also you’ve acquired a bowl of Southern consolation prepared in simply 45 minutes.

For extra Southern consolation meals, strive our Chicken and Dumplings or our Southern Style Red Beans and Rice.

Shrimp and grits is an iconic, Southern breakfast meals. Image New Orleans and Charleston, the place this humble dish is an integral a part of their on a regular basis house life. This Southern staple is simple to arrange, hearty and filling, whereas delivering huge taste. Buttery, tacky grits mixed with savory bacon and garlic shrimp makes our mouths water! High all of it off with slightly sizzling sauce and also you’ve acquired a scrumptious meal that’s positive to change into a household favourite.

Ingredient Notes

• White Grits: White grits are extra versatile and tackle the flavors of the dish, whereas yellow grits have a extra assertive corn taste.
• Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium choice means that you can greatest management the flavour. It’s an excellent chef tip.
• Butter: We use salted butter so as to add simply the correct quantity of salt to boost the flavors of the grits.
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese:  Freshly shredded melts higher than pre-shredded cheese, which accommodates components to forestall clumping.
• Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use massive, uncooked shrimp for one of the best texture. Frozen shrimp can be utilized if thawed correctly. You ca depart tails on or take away them earlier than cooking..
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives one of the best taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
• Bacon: Use normal bacon or thick-cut. You’ll need to use precise bacon, reasonably than pre-cooked, as a result of you’ll be cooking the shrimp within the leftover bacon fats.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works nicely and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed all the time has one of the best taste.
• Sizzling Sauce: High off along with your favourite sizzling sauce.

Shrimp Choices

You’ve just a few choices to select from in terms of shrimp, actually it’s quite a lot of. There are completely different sizes, frozen or recent, veined or deveined, peeled or entire, and all of them work!

For comfort, we choose to prepare dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. When you use frozen, make sure to thaw them earlier than utilizing.

Instantaneous vs. White Grits

Instantaneous grits might prepare dinner up sooner, nonetheless, they lack the higher taste of white grits. It’s price it to take the time to prepare dinner up the actual factor which can end result within the creamiest, most flavorful, completely restaurant-quality grits you can also make at house.

Avoiding Lumpy Grits

When you’re having points with clumping, don’t fear, you aren’t alone. It’s a standard downside that may be simply mounted. The most typical reason behind clumping isn’t stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This could trigger the grits to stay collectively and kind lumps.

To stop lumps, be sure that to stir the grits constantly for the primary jiffy after including them to the liquid. Stir, stir, stir!

Add grits slightly at a time whereas stirring to make sure that the grits are evenly dispersed within the liquid. You’ll be able to simply gently sprinkle them excessive of the boiling liquid.

In case your grits are already lumpy, seize a whisk! Strive whisking vigorously. When you can’t whisk them out, add a splash of sizzling water and preserve whisking till the clumps dissolve. For additional cussed clumps, you’ll be able to even use an immersion blender briefly to clean them out. Simply don’t overmix.

Alter the Warmth

For much less warmth: When you don’t tolerate spice nicely, be at liberty to go away out the recent sauce fully. In order for you slightly spice however not loads of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as an alternative.

For extra warmth: Be happy to simply add extra sizzling sauce. Or, add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper when cooking the shrimp for much more warmth. You can additionally prime with recent jalapeño slices or a sprinkle of pink pepper flakes.